Lecale Ramblers

In April 1988 the inaugural meeting of what was to become Lecale Ramblers was held in Down Leisure Centre, Downpatrick. The suggestion that there could be a rambling club in the Downpatrick area was first mooted by two gentlemen, Paddy McEvoy and Paul Canavan during the St. Patrick’s Day walk of that year. Paul at that time was the Countryside Officer of Down Council. The meeting was addressed by the legendary Wilfred Capper, creator of the famous Ulster Way. (Wilfred had been inspired to set it up in the 1970s as a result of walking Tom Stephenson’s Pennine Way.) As a consequence a further meeting was held a short time later and with an encouraging small financial grant from Down Council and following a lengthy discussion about names, the infant rambling club was born and “Lecale Ramblers” became our official designation.

We walk every other Sunday through the year and our programme of walks include all types of terrain, flat, hills, road and country. Length of walks vary between 5 and 8 miles in length and walks are usually within the Co Down and Antrim areas as membership is mostly taken up by people who live in these two counties. The committee decides on the programme of walks for the entire year and the leaders for each of the walks.

Membership is available for those 18 and over, there is full membership or social membership.

In addition to our walks programme we have:

An annual BBQ

An annual dinner

Continental walking holiday

Social weekend away in Ireland

Work with Newry, Mourne, and Down District Council on the annual St Patricks Day walk